


One Punk man

by Naeryda



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: F/M, Love, Misunderstandings, Nyotalia, Punk, Punk England (Hetalia), Romance, School, Students
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-06 01:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5398055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naeryda/pseuds/Naeryda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After moving to another country, Sakura had to adept to the new European school and its environment. An inconvenient event led her to believe that the school's Punk Arthur Kirkland disliked her. Unbeknownst to her, the punk started to admire her. From there on, the misunderstandings accompanied them wherever they met. Hetalia and Nyotalia characters used. Pairing: EnglandXNyoJapan</p><p>(I suck at finding titles for my stories; so my best friend suggested 'One Punk man' :'D Very creative :'D)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1.

**Author's Note:**

> [A/N: I want to talk about the title. Yes it is a reference to One Punch man (thanks to my best friend XD) I am such a lousy person when I have to choose a title for a story. And so my best friend said (as a joke of course) call it “One punk man” ~ | English is not my first language, so sorry if there are any mistakes. I used the name ‘Emily’ for female America :3 and I used Luxembourg .]

For every pupil of the European School Luxembourg, the beginning of the school year was exciting. Some were joyful, expecting to tell their friends how they spent their summer. Others were exhausted before the new term had even begun. For Sakura, it was a nervous adventure. During the summer, she moved to Luxembourg due to her father’s new job. Besides the fact that she was not familiar with the country’s culture, Sakura felt completely lost in the new environment and school. In Japan, she had friends who understood her timid side. In this school, that would be a different story.

Sakura was one of the first to enter the building. She wanted to avoid big crowds and find her classroom as quickly as possible. Before she would enter any room, she would ask in the school office to receive a locker. To be organised was the main key for starting the new school year, especially if one were not familiar with the school’s building.

 

Half an hour after she had gotten the key for a locker, other students filled the halls. The eighteen-year-old Japanese felt a little overwhelmed with all the pupils. Some were already staring at her, suspecting that Sakura was a new school student. She diverted her attention to her locker, which refused to open. “Oh,” the Japanese muttered. The female did not notice that someone approached her. “ _Bonjour mademoiselle_ , do you need help?”

Sakura reacted with a startled expression, not expecting anyone to talk her.

“Er, y-yes. That would be very kind of you,” she thanked him. He grinned at her; his smiling had the power to charm every single woman in the room.

 

This scene was being observed by two other persons on the other side of the hall. “Emily, do you see the bloody git there… It seems that he is once again flirting. Stupid frog,” the blonde punk hissed, addressing his sister. She nodded, watching Francis new ‘target’ from behind, “poor girl.” Both half-siblings were an odd pair, while Emily was a popular cheerleader, her brother Arthur was a rebel punk. The former one was admired by most students of the school, particularly males. This upset Arthur extremely; he was very protective of his half-sister. Francis, who liked to provoke the Brit, flirted constantly with Emily. Now another girl was a victim of his charming words.

 

Arthur was not someone who would care about anybody, but seeing his rival’s face was enough to make him angry. “He will never change,” Arthur complained quietly. He did not see how Emily watched Francis with the stranger girl; but as the Frenchman winked at Emily, Arthur saw red. Within seconds, the Brit had the French by the shoulders, pushing him against the lockers.

Francis was colliding with the metallic cabinet, which was loud enough for the surrounding students to hear. Sakura was completely shocked as the poor French was attacked by the angry blonde man. The only emotion she could detect in the attacker’s eyes was pure rage. She did not know what motivated this furious man to take those violent steps, but she knew that she would avoid him at any costs.

“Damn frog. I saw that,” he fumed, ignoring Sakura.

“I-I did nothing t-“

“Oh shut up Frenchie.”

It was silent after Arthur’s loud exclamation. Francis eyes slowly met Sakura’s ones. “Don’t you see how much you frightened this new _mademoiselle_?” the French asked. Arthur froze, not realising that she was indeed next to them. He turned his head, looking how unsettled the girl locked. She stared at him with a shocking face, which in his eyes expressed fear and utter shock. He was embarrassed; he had frightened her and it did not help that he thought that she was cute.

“I-I... P-please excuse m-me,” the girl stuttered softly, with blushing cheeks. She stared at Arthur, before she took a heavy breath and left the scene.

Arthur could not help himself but to redden too; due to his shame and her adorableness. He knew that he had messed up before he had even a chance to talk to her. Apologising would be the first thing Arthur would do when he would see her. It seemed that he was someone who did think less of his reputation. Although his sisters, he cared dearly for, understood his personality. He was afraid of rejection and therefore let no one grow close to him. He knew Marguerite and Emily did not approve such behaviour in front of a girl. Unfortunately, Sakura had already fled from the scenery, leaving a confused Brit and a smirking Frenchman behind.

 

‘Oh God,’ Sakura thought, ‘everyone was watching me’. With a bowed head, she made her way towards the first class. She hoped to be left alone and would meet nice people, ‘not such ones angry who would attack somebody out of nowhere’. It was clear to her that she would not strike a conversation with any troublemaker, only if she had to. After all, she was taught the rules of politeness.


	2. 2.

“Dude… That was not cool,” Emily commented, pulling her brother away from Francis. While the punk was still a little perplexed and embarrassed of the scene, Francis was taking advantage of the situation. “Oh Emily, _ma chère_ , would you kindly tell your brother how to behave in front of ladies?”

Arthur, upon hearing the Frenchman’s accusation, grew angry. “Frog, shut your bloody mouth,” he fumed, disappearing from the lockers. The first class had not even started yet and Arthur’s impatience was on the verge. Emily ran to her group of friends, while Francis greeted his other two best friends who came into the hall.

On his way to his class, he thought about what had occurred minutes ago. ‘She was so shocked of my actions,’ the Brit mused, ‘bloody Frenchie…’  
As he entered the room, he saw a person on his chair bending over to the side to grab something out of the bag. On the first day of school, everyone was free to claim their seat. In Arthur’s case, every pupil knew where the punk’s seat was. Unfortunately, someone was using it. Being a rebellious punk, the Brit rushed into the room and stopped in front of his “claimed” desk.

“Hey, you are sitting in my se-“

He stopped abruptly seeing that the person he was shouting at was the shy girl who had just fled from him. She looked at him with widened eyes; her face was adorned with a blush. “I-I beg your pardon?” the black-haired asked timidly.

“E-eh,” was all Arthur could bring out of his mouth. ‘How could I snap at her again?’ he questioned himself. “E-eh… I am sorry I thought you were sitting on my chair, but I was mistaken,” the blonde lied, taking the seat next to hers. She on the other hand, turned her head to her bag again to take her sketchbook out. It was an understatement to say that the Englishman felt ashamed.

 

Arthur observed her quietly, admiring her neat drawings. The way she held the pen in her hand, was fascinating for him. Unfortunately, while he was watched her with softening eyes, Sakura grew nervous. ‘Why is he staring at me?’ she thought, not comprehending the situation. The Japanese assumed that the Brit disliked her greatly; even though it was quite the contrary. Not even a minute passed as more students filled the room.

“Oh, look Ludwig, we have a new student.”

Sakura’s beating heart stopped, as someone stopped in front of her desk. She looked up and saw a rather happy looking girl with brown reddish hair, smiling down at her. Behind her was a tall blonde male who wore a neutral expression.

“Hi, you must be new here. My name is Felicia, nice to meet you.”

The Japanese female did not expect someone to talk to her; particularly due to the Brit’s actions. He watched her with every eye, which unsettled her greatly.

“N-Nice to meet you too, my name is Sakura,” she introduced herself softly, her mouth forming a sweet smile. Felicia grinned, introducing Sakura to her friend Ludwig. From the first second on, the trio got along well, making Sakura easier in her moves and speech. She felt more free and comfortable.

 

Although Arthur’s tried to supress and facial emotions, his heart was accelerating. It was her smile that made his heart beat faster. One could feel the joy as she spoke with the German and Italian; and Arthur was completely enchanted by it. The only ones, who noticed his unusual aura, were his sisters Emily and Marguerite. Both girls had just entered the classroom as they saw their brother’s face.

“Yo, sis, what’s up with Iggy?” Emily observed the scene with a baffled expression, while Marguerite had already analysed the situation. “It seems that we have a new student who is sitting on brother’s chair.”

“But nobody sits on Iggy’s chair… Oh my Gosh, do you think he likes her?” Emily exclaimed excitingly. Happily for Arthur, no one in the room had heard his sister’s shouting.  
Making it her main task to befriend the mysterious girl, Emily ran across the room and approached the Japanese. Arthur did not take any notice of his sister until she stood next to his desk.

“Hello, I am Emily.”

Before she could utter another word, Arthur angrily pulled her by the side, “What the bloody hell are you doing?”  
He recognised the mischievous glint in her eyes and knew what she had in her mind. “I wanted to talk to the new girl. Apparently she seemed extremely likable,” Emily smiled innocently, winking at him.  
‘Oh God… ,’ he said to himself.

The teacher entered the room quickly after, which indicated every present person to take their place.

 

While the rebel Brit was thinking about his new attachment, his eyes involuntary looked at his left to the reason of his fast beating heart. The object of his interest however was reflecting on anything that could have caused him to hate her. She obliviously misunderstood his actions.  
Sakura was disappointed as he pulled Emily from her. As Felicia whispered her, that the American girl was his sister, Sakura thought that he did not want his family member to befriend her. ‘What problem does he have with me?’ she once again questioned.  
  
During the lesson, she glanced at Arthur who at the same moment was looking at her. Sakura misinterpret his staring for dislike. The Japanese turned her head back towards the window, avoiding his sight for the next few hours. For him, it felt as if time had slowed down. “Oh Lord,” he muttered, trying to compose himself, “I think I am completely bewitched by her.”

 

All the while Marguerite was observing the scene, shaking her head and smiling to himself. Her rebel punk brother was admiring the new sweet girl, who in returned wanted to avoid him. ‘This will be a lot of work for Emily and me,’ she thought.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Just a warning ahead, this fanfic is going to be a massive fluff story :’D and it is quite obvious that Punk Iggy has a thing for Sakura :D. I really love this pairing and they deserve more stories together :3. I will try to post a chapter every Sunday :3]


	3. 3.

As the bell rang, the students packed everything to leave for the break. Arthur watched silently, as Sakura took her bag. Her attempt of exiting the room was stopped, as he tried to approach her. “Huh?” She uttered softly; he stood by her chair. At first the girl thought that the punk would criticise or accost her; she certainly did not expect his next words.

“I- I am sorry for the –“

“Iggy!” Emily shouted, slinging her arm around the Brit’s shoulder, “and Sakura.”

Marguerite joined the trio, smiling empathically to the Japanese. Emily introduced them to each other, “This is my twin sister Marguerite, and my half-brother, Arthur. But I call him Iggy.”

“E-Emily,” The Brit fumed, feeling embarrassed. Sakura was overwhelmed with the presence of three strange persons, who wanted to get to know her. “I-I am s-sorry, but I need to go,” the girl whispered, focussing her eyes on the ground.

“O-Okay,” Arthur expressed, watching her leaving the room. “What were you thinking?” He questioned his loud sister, who had not admitted her wrong-doing in confronting the quiet and shy Japanese with her odd approach. “Brother, we know that you fancy her, and we wanted to help.”

“F-Fancy? I am not f-fancying her,” he stuttered nervously, “well, she i-is cute a-and… Stop smirking!”

He rushed out of the classroom. Feeling embarrassed for the second time within a few hours was very uncommon for the Brit.

Everyone in the hall moved out of his way. They could feel a grim atmosphere around him. The punk was mostly avoided by the other students; they did not want to get involved with him. Only Francis liked to provoke the Brit to the point where the Englishman would act violently.

Arthur thought about following Sakura to apologise for his former actions, ‘I really need to explain to her that I did not mean what I said or did.’ He spotted her walking to the toilette.

‘Maybe I will wait here. I hope she will not think of me as a lunatic,’ he reflected, standing next to the doors. Upon seeing Francis passing by, Arthur cringed. The French glimpsed at him, smirking.

“ _Oh, mais tu fais quoi là_? _Tu vas observer les meufs_? Are you spying on the cute girls? Eh?”

Arthur’s impatience was rising again. “How dare you, frog?” He hissed, moving towards the French. The Brit was not expecting the next occurrence that would happen. Just as he moved forward, the door of the toilette opened with a force which would knock down everyone who would stand near the door. Unfortunately, Arthur was currently in that certain position, which allowed his face to collide with the door. Francis fell on the floor, laughing; while Arthur’s impact with the ground was more brutal. The punk sat up on his arms, forming the insult in his head, which he would use towards the culprit who had smashed the door into his face.. “H-Hey…,” He stopped in a soft tone, seeing as the shocked Japanese stood in front of him, her face filled with shame and concern. “I-it was y-you.”

“I-I am so sorry,” she exclaimed stressfully, “It was n-not on purpose, I-I…” The girl sat herself next to Arthur, taking his head in her small hands. She examined his face for any bruises, not noticing the small proximity both of them had. Nonetheless, Arthur was very aware of her closeness. His breath was stuck in his throat and he could not deny that she was indeed very beautiful.

“So adorable,” he whispered loudly enough for her to hear.

“W-What?” She asked flabbergasted, staring at him. At this point the shy female discovered their closeness. Her thoughts were racing, ‘Did he just say adorable? Did he pay me a compliment?’

From afar this scene looked like a romantically event, especially for Marguerite and Emily.

“I-I, er,” was all the flushed Brit muttered, feeling exposed to her.

“Y-your head has a little b-bump,” The Japanese informed him softly, touching his light injury, “I-I will take you to the infirmary. It is nearby.”

“Y-Yes.”

Sakura observed him as she stood up. Feeling embarrassed was an understatement; the quiet female was ashamed of her actions and nervous of the Brit’s former compliment. As if this was not enough, the punk was smiling at her with such a flushed lovely look that she was blushing worse than before. “I-I am so sorry,” she apologised again, taking his arm to pull him up. Despite her fragile looking form, the girl was strong.

‘He is such a mystery,’ she mused. She believed that he disliked her and yet he was muttering sweet words to her. Sakura assumed that the impact of the fall had been worse than she had expected, “Come.”

All eyes were on both when they walked to the infirmary.

“Please sit down Mr Kirkland,” the nurse said, motioning the Brit to rest on a chair. “It seems that you have taken quite a blow. Was it during a fight?” It was no secret that Arthur was seen as a notorious troublemaker –due to a certain French man–, even though he tried to avoid as much fights as possible. “It was me,” the Japanese intervened. The nurse, upon hearing the shy girl’s confession, was surprised. She had not imagined that this small female was capable of knocking down the infamous punk. “O-okay,” she murmured with widened eyes.

“Was he flirting with another girl?” the nurse asked, believing that both were in a relationship and Sakura’s action towards him was due to an act of jealousy.

“W-What? N-no w-we are not …,” Sakura stuttered heavily, “W-we are not d-dating.”

Arthur, who did not object the idea of them dating, was flushing but did not deny the nurse’s indication. The nurse observed the two with a smile. ‘Both will be very cute together,’ she thought to herself.

“I-It was an accident,” Sakura whispered, looking at the Brit, whose blushing face was facing the floor.

“You can go to class, I will watch over him.”

Hearing the nurse’s words, Sakura left the infirmary. The little break was almost over and she had to attend classes. Her mind was filled with a lot of questions. The main concern was her guilt. She needed to apologise properly to the Englishman. Although she felt unsettled in his presence, she was determined to ask her new friends to help her with the apology.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Oh, mais tu fais quoi là? Est-ce que tu vas observer les meufs_ _? –_ Oh, what are you doing? Are you spying on the girls (yes ‘meufs’ is a word for girls/females, it is a slang word)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: And the next chapter :D. I wanted to make this scene with the door (inspired by me and my best friends’ own experience with ‘clashing with the door’ :’D. I finally have winter break, so that means more time for writing and updating :D.]


	4. 4.

Arthur was still sitting on the chair in the infirmary. He reflected on the happenings which had taken place during the past few hours. His cheeks grew warmer, the more he thought about it. “She looked so sorry, but she avoided my gaze,” he muttered. He could not be angry with her, even if she had stolen his seat and smash a door in his face. The ice package was pressed against his head and cooling his bump. “Only 10 minutes until school is over.”

He had been in this room for several hours, resting. His injured had swelled down and he felt better. “I will go when the bell rings. Maybe I will see her,” his voice sounded tired, but thinking of the shy Japanese was enough to make his heart beat faster.

As if his prayers had been heard, the loud ring of the bell sounded through the building. Despite the big crowd full of students, his eyes found Sakura’s very quickly.

She stopped dead in her tracks. The girl was not sure if she should approach the punk or not. The female was ashamed of her former actions and believed that he would still dislike her. His green eyes were staring at her face. At that moment, Felicia (not noticing the moment that had passed between her friend and the Brit) pulled Sakura with her, leaving the school through the gates.

Feeling sad and disappointed, the Brit left as quickly as possible. ‘She saw me and stopped,’ he thought dispirited, ‘was she afraid to face me? I could never hurt her. Maybe…Maybe it is for the best to… just avoid her.’ Negative thoughts were resurfacing and lowering his happy spirits.

Heavy raindrops fell down, matching Arthur’s gloomy mood as he arrived at home. His sisters would be home in a few hours. Emily had cheerleading training while Marguerite had a meeting with her ice hockey team. Arthur could not explain why the new girl affected him so strongly. Never before had someone made him feel that way. The fear of being rejected, took over him. “Maybe it is just a phase. It will pass in some days,” he murmured, opening the main door to his home. “I will try to ignore her. It does not seem as she would talk to me anyway…”

He did not know that it would be harder than he expected it to be.

While he distracted himself with reading and music, Sakura tried to find a way to apologise to the Englishman.

“I know that he likes magical things,” Felicia informed the Japanese, sipping from her cappuccino. Sakura had asked the Italian for help. “So, you could make him a gift as an apology.”

“But, magical things?”

“Yes, well he likes Harry Potter and mythical creatures of English folklore.”

“How do you know all that?” Sakura asked, curious of Felicia’s knowledge.

“Francis is a good friend of mine, almost like a big brother, and he knows everything about the Brit.”

“O-oh. But it seemed that they hate each other.”

“Well Francis likes to provoke him, because Arthur is always reacting negatively to it.”

Both were discussing until they had found an idea. The sky was turning into a dark painting, indicating that Felicia needed to go home. “You will manage,” she had said, hugging Sakura. After she had left, Sakura closed the door with a sigh.

“I hope he will accept my apology,” Sakura whispered, looking out of the window before she went to the kitchen.

 

It was the next morning and Sakura had prepared a bento which contained sushi piled in form of a dragon. She had not forgotten the information Felicia had given her. “He is a bad cook,” she had said and Sakura thought it would be a nice gift. ‘And everybody loves food,’ she thought with a smile. She was still a little embarrassed of the outcome of the first day, but she knew that she had wronged him. As Felicia told her that the Japanese had sat on his seat, Sakura was astonished. “But we were all surprised that he did not react angrily against you. No one sits in his chair,” Felicia had admitted, leaving Sakura with tons of questions.

Sakura stood in front of the Englishman’s locker. Her confidence was increasing, the more she thought about Felicia’s words. She believed the punk to be more polite than people described him, ‘If he were a bad guy, he would have insulted me and not leave me sitting on his chair.’ She thought about his reaction after he had collided with the toilet’s door. “He was smiling and paying me a compliment,” she murmured to herself, blushing due to the last part of her sentence.

Arthur could not believe his eyes when he saw Sakura in front of his locker. He had woken up with the strong determination of forgetting all about her. The Brit certainly did not expect her to show up at his locker. He concluded that she had mistaken it for someone else’s. As he made his way to his locker, Sakura’s eyes gazed into his. “A-Arthur?”

Upon hearing her sweet voice, he stopped his feet from moving any further and stared into her eyes. “Y-yes?” He asked with a nervous voice.

“T-This is for you,” she said, giving him the bento. “I-I hope you will accept my apology. I am very sorry about your injury a-and for stealing y-your seat.”

He was too shocked to say anything. His heart and mind were racing. ‘She made me this for me,’ he concluded mentally.

The silent punk stared at her with a widened look which she misunderstood. Sakura looked at the gift. “I -I am sorry for the inconvenience. I-I will go –“

“N-no!” Arthur stammered. “P-please don’t go. I am sorry for making you feel uncomfortable.”

He looked softly at the gift in her hands before she handed it him. “Thank you so much for the gift. Y-You didn’t have to.”

For the first time, Sakura smiled at him. She was glad that he had accepted the gift and her apology. “I am happy to hear that. U-uh by the way, my name is Sakura.”

“I-I know,” Arthur confessed with a reddened face. He was amazed by her smile and seeing that she was reaching her hand out to shake hands with him, he could not help but smile back at her. “A-And don’t worry about the bump, it is almost healed.”

He opened the box to see what she had made him. The punk could not deny his love for food and the way she had prepared it for him, made his heart beat faster again. “Thank you,” he breathed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Have I already mentioned how much I love this pairing :’D ?]


	5. 5.

“Don’t they look adorable together?” Emily asked her sister, observing her brother and the new Japanese girl from afar.

“She made him a gift, this is just so cute,” the American grinned from ear to ear, “I can already hear the wedding bells.”

Marguerite shook her head with a smile. “Don’t exaggerate Emily. Both have just laid the misunderstandings by side. Let them be friends for now.”

“Aww man…”

The American groaned; she had made some plans concerning Arthur and Sakura. She wanted to speed up the process of them becoming a couple.

 

Before the school bell could signal the next lesson, the president of the student council wandered through the halls. The Luxembourgish boy was looking for someone.

Upon seeing the punk, he rushed towards him with a gentle face.

“Arthur,” he said.

The Brit turned around. “Noah.”

“I am looking for your sister but I can’t find her. Would you ask her if she wants to join the council?”

Arthur nodded. His sister has always been interested in joining the council. With her experience in sports and her popularity, she would be a good member. Arthur was certain of it.

Noah wanted to leave, but his eyes fell on the unfamiliar girl in front of him. “Oh excuse me, you must be new. I am Noah, the president of the student council.”

The Japanese shot him a friendly smile, “Sakura, nice to meet you. Yes, I am new here.”

“That is a pretty name,” he concluded, “Where are you from?”

“Japan.”

The Luxembourger was always pleased to meet new people, especially from new continents. Never before had he met anyone from the Asian country. “Would you too be interested in joining us too? We could meet afterwards and discuss.”

“I-er.”  
“No,” Arthur answered strictly. He did not hate the Luxembourgish student, but he did not like the fact that he was pressing her. In addition to that, he wanted to meet her after school which annoyed the Englishman greatly. Arthur was starting to act overprotective over the Japanese (which was very recognisable if one read his body language). As if he could read Sakura’s mind, she was glad for him to have intervened. Noah seemed nice to her but she felt uncomfortable to be asked to join an organisation she was not familiar with.

“Okay, well I will go now. Tell Emily about my suggestion,” the Luxembourgish said calmly, and disappeared behind the wall were Arthur’s sisters were watching them. “Good job, Luxi,” Emily commented, calling him by his nickname. “ _’T ass gärgeschitt_ , now will you join?” He asked. She hugged him quickly. Yes, I will join your council.”

Marguerite was flabbergasted; her sister had planned this. She wanted to see if their brother was already showing signs of jealousy, which was indeed the case. “Now we know how to annoy him to the point where he would confess to her.” Even though Marguerite wanted to facepalm, she was still grinning happily. Her sister really was one of a kind.

 

“The next class is Art,” Sakura said softly. She was walking side by side with the Brit who she now considered as a friend. “I am glad this misunderstanding is cleared up.”

“Me too,” Arthur mentioned happily, his once negative emotions turning into light happiness. “Ehm, can I sit next to you?” He asked timidly with red cheeks. The Japanese directed her eyes towards him and smiled, “Of course you can, we are friends now, right.”

At first he was overly flattered and could not stop his racing heart to calm down. Although he was happy that she had accepted him, he could not prevent his body from cringing lightly at the word ‘friends’. He smiled back “Thank you.”

Both sat next to each other as the class began. During the lesson he asked Sakura for help due to her great art skill. She taught him several things which he took to heart. Despite the theoretical side of the course, they also had Art history in the second part of the lesson. After that, they would have a little break and the students were standing up and grabbing their bags. The teacher made a quick announcement, before they exited the room. “Students, in a few weeks we are going to make a one day trip to Paris. We will visit the Musée d’Orsay. Please fill out these sheets of attendance.”

Sakura, who never visited Paris before, was excited to make such a new experience. Arthur observed her happy countenance. “Are you excited?” He asked curiously.

“Yes, I’ve never been to Paris before,” she confessed.

As if she had loudly exclaimed that information, Francis rushed to her. “ _Oh, mais mademoiselle, si vous voulez, je peux -_ “

“Shut up Frenchie,” Arthur intervened spitefully. Sakura looked at both males. While Francis was smirking, Arthur had an angry look on his face. “Well Arthur, I have a good taste in arts and can show her around in the museum,” the French suggested. “Privately,” he said, winking at Sakura. The Brit positioned himself before her and glared at Francis. “You should be happy that we have witnesses, otherwise I would have punched you for making such a bold move towards her,” he threatened darkly. Sakura, analysing the situation, moved her head to properly watch Francis. “I am sorry, Francis, but I think I have to decline,” she said apologetically.

“Okay,” the French answered smiling innocently before he left the classroom (giving Emily a high five on his way outside). The tenseness was decreasing as he went to the hall. “A-Are you alright?” She asked the Brit who in return nodded. “I apologise for his manners,” he mumbled. She was still a little surprise by his protective behaviour but shrugged it off.

Both then decided to eat together with Arthur’s sisters. Sakura had agreed to get to know them, after the first meeting had been a little awkward.

__________________________

**Translation:**

_‘t ass gärgeschitt_ – You’re welcome

_Oh, mais mademoiselle, si vous voulez, je peux_ – Oh, but Miss, if you want, I can –

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I was in the mood to post twice this weekend :D. Emily is already sabotaging and planning to get those two together (and I approve ~ xD). And yes I put in some Luxembourgish >:D (gotta conquer the world with that language *evil laughter* >:D) ]


	6. 6.

Several weeks had passed. It was a cold October morning, as Sakura waited in front of her house. Arthur and his sisters would pick her up. They had done this for weeks now, offering her to take her to school and bring her back home afterwards. Today was a different daily routine. Since their teacher had decided to visit Paris for one day (which is three hours away from Luxembourg City), the Kirklands would arrive earlier. Over the weeks, Sakura and Arthur had developed a pleasant friendship. Despite the hardship at the beginning, both were getting along very well. In addition to that, she had befriended Emily and Marguerite due to their brother’s involvement with her. In short: Sakura was fond of her new made friends; especially Arthur. She would never admit to anyone that she had developed feelings for the Brit. Sakura promised herself to not tell anyone; it would be too awkward if Arthur would know.

 

“Why do we have to listen to your music this loudly?” Emily complained, sitting next to her half-brother in the car. “Because I am the driver and this is my car,” he commented, annoyed by her daily complaints about his music taste. The cheerleader captain hated it when _Comeback Kid_ was shaking the vessel with loud guitar strums. Even though she sometimes listened to rock music – thanks to Arthur’s influence - , she opposed the idea of listening to any punk music at 6 o’clock in the morning. Marguerite, who observed both with a light smile, liked her half-brother’s music taste. After all, _Comeback Kid_ was a Canadian Band.

“Would you play that kind of music in that volume, if Sakura was present?”

Arthur’s red face answered her question without any doubt. Lately, her sisters had asked him many questions concerning the Japanese girl. They had been picking on him ever since. “You always turn it down, the moment you arrive in front of her home.”

“W-well I don’t want to wake the neighbours,” he lied, blushing. Emily, being a specialist in detecting her brother’s poor lies, grinned from ear to ear. “You love to talk to her, we all know that already, dear brother,” she laughed. Indeed, the man loved to talk to her. He was happy that he had befriended the Japanese girl and could not deny his admiration for her. She had been a pleasant companion for him with her food, smiles and talk. He found her utterly adorable and loved her company. Despite his growing feelings for her, he refused to let anyone notice his affections for the girl. He did not intend to tell her; risking their friendship was something he wanted to avoid. Unfortunately, every single pupil in their school was aware of his emotions, except Sakura herself.

“N-No,” Arthur stuttered, thinking about a comeback. “I only want to repress your voice, that’s why the music is so loud.” His smirk was stretching across his face. Marguerite chuckled quietly in the backseat. Her siblings loved to provoke one another. “Pha,” Emily exclaimed with a playful smile, “touché.”

They arrived shortly afterwards in front of Sakura’s house. “We are here.” Sakura seated herself next to Marguerite, “Good morning.” Everyone greeted back with a smile before they drove to school.

 

The bus was already waiting in the parking lot and the class was complete. Thanks to the free parking lots (provided by the school) Arthur did not have to buy a parking ticket for the whole day. Before the four entered the bus, Felicia approached Sakura. “Hey, how is it going? Ehm we just wanted to ask if it would be okay if I could sit next to Ludwig?”

“Of course,” Sakura acknowledged. Francis, who had listened to every word the two had spoken, sprang besides the Japanese, taking her hand in a very romantic way. “ _J’serai très content, si vous vous asseyez près de moi_.”

Sakura, not comprehending one word, stared at the French. “P-Pardon?”

He grinned, not letting go of her hand. “I said, I would be happy if you would sit next to me,” he admitted with a wink.

Arthur had promised himself to behave properly, especially in front of a bus filled with students and Sakura; but seeing the Frenchman flirting with her, buried all his good intentions in oblivion. Within milliseconds, the Brit stood next to her, grabbing the French’s finger. He was almost crushing Francis fingers but did not care about it. “ _Pardonnez-moi, grenouille_ , but I don’t think she wants to spend over three hours with you in a row,” Arthur objected, speaking the first three words in perfect French (which he had learned by heart to be able to insult the Frenchman whenever he liked).

“I am sitting next to Marguerite, so Iggy, I think Sakura will sit next to you, right?” Emily inquired, expecting none of the present to disapprove of her idea. Sakura only nodded, still blushing form the previous event. Arthur had instinctively taken her arm while his other hand was bruising Francis’. “Well then,” Arthur muttered, getting into the bus with Sakura.

Unbeknownst to them, Felicia, Emily, Marguerite and Francis were smiling. The four had planned this act beforehand. To avoid the possibility of letting Sakura sit next to Marguerite, Francis had been ordered to provoke the Brit to make him jealous. The Englishman’s behaviour and psychological patterns was easy to read.

 

During the drive, Arthur was listening to music, while Sakura was reading. More than half of the pupils were tired and slept. The Brit and his neighbour enjoyed the silence until the driver announced the first break they would make right before Metz. “15 minutes, then we will continue the journey,” he had said.

After the break, the students were more active than before. The sun was raising and the volume of the talking increased. Arthur took this as a chance to strike up a conversation. “How was your reading?” He asked, waiting for her to look at him. Sakura’s face turned towards the Brit, whose face was in the perfect angle. The sun rays illuminated his face and green eyes. ‘His eyes are glowing,’ she thought, struck by his radiant looks. She was quiet for seconds, too smitten by Arthur’s appearance to answer him. Her cheeks burned. “I-I… y-yes,” was all she could utter, before she quickly looked in front of her. Arthur had almost the same reaction. The way the sun had shone on her face and how she had looked at him with blushing cheeks was all it took for his heart to speed up. “Eh, t-that’s marvellous,” he murmured nervously, focussing on his hands which lay in his lap. At that moment, his stomach expressed a loud noise of hunger. Its growling was catching Sakura’s attention. While he was embarrassed of his loud body functions, Sakura packed something out of her bag. “I made some scones and biscuits,” she mentioned shyly. The only thing, Arthur could do, was staring at her with a gaping mouth. She had made him his most beloved snack. “Oh, and I have tea in a thermos flask,” She added, taking her ‘picnic’ out of her back bag. He was completely astonished and could not express how glad he was to have befriended her. Sakura had prepared everything the day before; she brought along several snacks for her friends.

 

Behind the pair, Emily and Marguerite were snickering. “She surely is wifey material,” the older one whispered, “She is his angel, sent from heaven.” Both of them watched as their brother and Sakura shared food and drank tea. It was a lovely sight. The Japanese turned around to the siblings and offered them brownies and biscuits.

“Mags, he needs to marry her,” Emily said dreamily, after taking a bite of her brownie. “She would provide us with brownies every day.”

“I approve,” Marguerite agreed.

Both happily chatted as the distance between them and Paris became smaller, minute by minute.

* * *

  
**Translation:**

_J’serai très content, si vous vous asseyez près de moi_. – I would be very happy, if you would sit next to me

 _Pardonnez-moi, grenouille_ – Excuse me, frog


	7. 7.

“Wow,” Sakura breathed while watching the city through the window. She and Arthur had switched seat places, so she could marvel over Paris’ buildings. He had insisted on it, leaving no room for discussion. Francis turned around – he was sitting in front of them to Arthur’s dismay – and talked about the beauty of his hometown. Sakura smiled, appreciating his descriptions of the city. Although the Brit was extremely content to see how fascinated she was, Arthur was slightly unnerved that she admired Francis’ birth town. It was a silly thought, he admitted, but he wished she would be as fascinated by his native country as she was by the Frenchman’s. He sighed, annoyed by his own exaggerated thinking. “Are you alright?” Sakura asked him concerned.

“Yes, I just want to get out of this bus,” he confessed. After driving for almost four hours, the Brit wanted to leave the bus; it was too stuffy. The bus driver was looking for a parking lot by the museum. After ten minutes, he found one, on the opposite of the Musée d’Orsay, near the Pont Royal. The teacher made a quick announcement to meet up by the bus at eight o’clock in the evening.

“Finally,” Arthur muttered, standing up, grabbing his things as the others were also preparing to leave the vehicle. The fresh air was embracing their tired forms. “It’s cold,” Sakura muttered to herself. Despite her winter coat, the freezing winds were cooling her body temperature down. Arthur, having heard her comment, placed his both hands on her shoulders. “Don’t worry, we will be in the building as fast as possible.”

He did not like the thought of her catching a cold and shot the teachers a glare. After everyone was outside the vehicle, the group of students moved to the museum.

 

Arthur, Sakura, Emily and Marguerite found themselves between the works of Gauguin, Van Gogh, Monet and Courbet. The artists of the Expressionism, Realism and Pointillism enchanted the audience with their perfect brushstrokes which supported their illustrative portrayal of history and deception of art. The teacher explained every important painting (leaving the guide speechless who was not needed and could not provide as much information as the class’ teacher). Sakura was enthralled by all the pieces and background history. After the touring, the teachers told them to venture through the city and reminded the students to meet again at eight o’clock.

 

“Do you want to see the Eiffel Tower?” Arthur asked Sakura during their lunch in a French bistro. His sisters silently watched them, hoping for Sakura to give a positive reply. The Japanese nodded, feeling excited to see the famous French architectonic monument. After having eaten, the four walked to the most famous French construction. The grand park in front of the tower was the perfect place to shot some group pictures.

 

“It’s an amazing sight.”

Arthur could only agree with her (which he would never admit loud in front of a certain Frenchman). Her excitement and reactions were adorable and he could not prevent his face from colouring red. As they arrived under the Eiffel Tower, the four decided to take the stairs to the first storey _._ It was a difficult task but they managed and Arthur was watching Sakura taking every step (just in case).

She slipped at the end and almost fell, had it not been for the Brit to catch her.

“A-Are you alright?” He asked with a concerned face and a racing heart. Sakura’s body was unable to move due to their proximity. She could feel his body heat radiating from him, his breath tickling her neck. The world had stilled, with both of them on the staircase on the Eiffel Tower, his arms around her, keeping her safe from every danger. Sakura needed several seconds to answer his question. But despite her efforts to form words, the only movement she was able to do was a nod.

The Brit, whose arms were still lingering protectively around her, was enjoying this moment before letting reluctantly go of her.

 

The sight from above to the City was breath taking and many pictures were made. The four visited other monuments and places before it was time for them to return to the bus. Emily was the first to sit on her seat. “Woah, it really was exhausting but beautiful.”

Her sister agreed, settling herself next to her.

“It was amazing,” Sakura said with a big smile. Arthur agreed, and both talked on the way back home.

“Do you know that we will swim in physical education next month?”

“W-What?” Arthur was shocked. He did not know what to think of that. He was concerned and it was something no one knew: the boy could not swim. He had never learned it as a child and he had avoided those lessons in school as often as possible. This time he could not avoid it; he could if he wanted to, but he certainly did not want Francis to flirt with Sakura while she would be in a swimsuit. And he did not want to miss the chance seeing her in such a suit, he mused, blaming his hormones for such thinking. His cheeks turned red. “I- I hate swimming,” he half-lied, not looking at her. In spite of not exposing his fright and secret, Sakura detected his lie. After spending weeks with each other in company, she could read him and his behaviour. Her staring did not cease and the punk slowly returned her gaze, realising that she had indeed noticed that something was off. “It will be alright,” she whispered, laying her hand on his. He sighed, letting his head fall in his right hand. To not mention the topic any further, Sakura took out her camera. “We can look through the pictures we made.”

 

Hours passed and every present in the bus was on the verge of falling asleep which in the end they did, except Arthur. He observed his Japanese neighbour, who was sleeping with her head on his shoulder. After some minutes, she shook a little because of the coldness in the bus. Arthur, having his Jacket in front of his seat placed it neatly on her. ‘She looks adorable with my coat,’ he thought gently. The Brit did not mind her head on his shoulder or his jacket on her form. He wore a gentle smile and enjoyed this never ending moment.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: The teacher in this chapter is inspired by my Art history teacher from my last year. He gave a fuck about the tour/museum guide people (I have no idea how they are called in English xD sorry) and told us everything he knew about the artists in that museum (he has a PhD in art history and published several articles, and holy shit he really knows what he is talking about :P). I read that Iggy cannot swim (but I don’t know if is canon or not but I saw the chance and I took it :’D, so you know what next chapter will be like :’D). ]


	8. 8.

“Today is the day,” Arthur muttered nervously as he stared into the looking glass. It was November and physical education was being held in the swimming arena. He had thought about several excuses to be present in the lesson but to not participate. He would claim that he had caught a cold even though his health was completely fine. Before the Brit exited his room, his eyes fell on the picture on his nightstand next to his bed. The photo had been made during the trip in Paris, on the Eiffel Tower; a selfie of his sisters, Sakura and him. The corners of his mouth formed a smile. He could not deny the fact that he really loved this piece of photography. “Iggy, move ya lazy ass, we will be late!” Emily shouted impatiently from downstairs, “And we do not wish to let Miss Honda wait”. Upon hearing her commanding – yet mocking – voice, Arthur countered back in a less happy tone. “What did you say?”

“I said, set your behind in motion, otherwise we will arrive fashionably late,” she repeated herself with a mocking British accent, leaving out the part where Sakura was mentioned. He glared at her but decided to ignore her reply. Marguerite watched them uninterestingly; the girl was used to this exchange of “affection”.

The habitual activities of listening loud music in the car, picking up Sakura and arriving at school, were accomplished as quickly as ever. Although the air around Arthur grew tenser the closer the physical education came.

 

Sakura on the other hand, felt his uncomfortableness but did not question him. She was aware of his “hate” for swimming. His body language indicated all signs of awkwardness. Before she could utter anything, the sports teacher arrived in front of the dressing rooms. While he unlocked the doors, he shot Arthur a flabbergasted look. The teacher knew of the Punk’s hate for sports, especially swimming. “Oh… Mr Kirkland,” he muttered hesitantly. ”I did not expect you to participate in the class.” He was a gentle man but did not really care who attended his lessons and who did not.

“I won’t.”

He looked at the Brit, not understanding why he would even show up if he won’t take part in the lesson. “Okay.” the teacher decided to ignore him. “Alright, but you will have to compensate your marks with an essay about swimming technics.”

The Brit rolled his eyes but accepted nonetheless. “That was easier than I thought,” the Brit spoke, relieved over the teacher’s nice reply and reaction. Francis, who had listened to everything, leaned himself with his elbow on the Brit’s shoulder. “Well yes, but I can observe the girls from near,” he bragged, expecting Arthur do shove him away. The Englishman glared at him, moving away from him.

 

He sat on the bench, next to some girls from his class who had declared to have received their monthly present from mother nature. They were just as surprised as the rest of the class as they saw him in this specific sports lesson. The Englishman felt their weird staring and glared back; a warning to everyone who would question him. He felt awkward enough to be in the same room with Francis who was wearing his swimsuit with pride. “Oh Lord–“

He could not finish his exclamation as his eyes fell on the Japanese, who had just exited the dressing rooms with a swimsuit and a towel. He ignored everyone else coming out to get ready for swimming. She caught his staring and blushed heavily. Sakura quickly diverted her attention to the other classmates. His staring did not cease; he was too much enchanted by her.

Every pupil felt his positive atmosphere; over the weeks their classmates had noticed his different behaviour and suspected him to be in love with the Japanese. Even the teachers had discovered his odd change. Every one, except for both who were concerned, realised that cupid had hit his arrows perfectly. Never had the pupils of the school expected or foreseen such an event; the rebellious Punk falling in love with the new cute and quiet Japanese student.

 

“So, at first you are going to swim a few rounds as a warm up,” the teacher explained, “then we will play water polo.”

Some of them got into the water; while others were leaving their towels on the bench were the non-participants were sitting. Sakura did not glimpse at the Brit as she laid the cloth down. It was obvious that she felt a little insecure about herself, which she could normally hide very well. She joined her classmates in the pool.

 

Ten minutes after warming up, the teacher explained the rules of water polo and called Arthur and one of the girls from the bench to put up the goals. They also needed to watch over the game and search for the ball if one of the players shot it out of the swimming pool. Despite it being a fair game, Arthur focussed on Sakura and glared at everyone who dared to foul her in any kind. His protective manner warned every student to not approach her. He himself did not take any notice of his glaring eyes; he did it unintentionally. After the game had finished, everyone went back to the dressing rooms, except for those who did not participate. Arthur was ordered to move the goals back to the material room. It took him several minutes to move everything back to the respective place. He walked along the pool as he finished his task. Unfortunately, Arthur underestimated the slippery floor. Within a second, he fell. Regretfully the punk did not land on the floor but plunged into the water.

“Shit!” he screamed before hitting his head lightly on the rim of the pool. Panic was written all over his face as he struggled with all his left energy to not touch the water’s ground. He felt drowsy due to the hit as he tried to somehow reach the border to steady himself. To his disadvantage, the boy was all alone; the other girls and teacher had left the room and no one was there to help him. Arthur struggled, and cursed his luck for getting in such a situation. Drowning in a swimming pool – in a bloody high school – was a stupid way to die.

 

Meanwhile Sakura was drying her wet hair with a towel as she sensed a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. ‘Something is wrong,’ she thought bitterly. Her instincts had never failed her. The girl rushed out of the dressing rooms to the swimming area. Something in her mind screamed that Arthur was in danger; she did not know how or why but he was not safe. She was still in her swimsuit as she sprinted – carefully, she did not intend to slip – to the pool. “Arthur!” She shouted when she saw him struggling to stay above the water surface. She did not think twice as she sprang into the water in order to save him. The poor Punk did not notice as she approached him, only as her hands touched him. Sakura’s arms hugged him from behind, steading his shaking body. She pressed her face against the side of his head. “It’s alright, I am here,” she whispered calmly, swimming with him to the rim of the pool. The Japanese had passed the lifesaving courses years ago and knew how to react under such circumstances. “Everything is alright, I am here,” she repeated, calming him down. He grabbed the border of the pool, turning around to look at her. “S-Sakura,” he murmured between shaking breaths. The Japanese was still holding onto him, soothing him with her presence; her arms were around his upper body, protecting him. She was aware of his weakness and promised herself to protect him from it for now. Although he was safe, she did not let go of him until he properly calmed down.

Arthur was thankful for her presence; she had saved him, even though the situation was strange –the part of almost drowning in a pool and being saved by the one you care about – he was happy to be with her. No one had appeared, except for her.

Both climbed out of the pool, sitting near the border, with their feet in the water. He was leaned against her, still a bit shaken by the incident and the hit on his head. For ten minutes, they stayed in that position. “I- I… Thank you,” The Englishman told her sincerely.

“I had a strange feeling that something was wrong and the moment I saw you in the water, struggling, I… I was really worried,” she admitted. “I know it is a sensitive topic, but …”

“I know, I need to learn how to swim.”

He blushed, feeling extremely exposed and ashamed.

“You don’t have to be ashamed. Everyone has their weakness, but you can learn it,” she said, “I don’t want to see you in such a situation again. What happens if I won’t be around?” Despite her try to show no expression of emotions, her eyes were filled with worry and sadness. Arthur could see it; her voice had indicated those feelings. His instincts kicked in and before he could stop himself, he held her tighter. Seeing her in such a state was breaking his heart. “I am so sorry,” he whispered, “I will try my best.”

Sakura on the other hand nodded against his chest, hugging him back. “I-I can teach you how to swim.”

The words had left her lips before she could rethink the sentence, making her flustered. Normally the shy girl would not suggest something like that. “O-okay,” The Brit answered. His face colour was matching hers and he was glad that she was not capable of seeing it. His chin touched the top of her head and somehow he could imagine himself to stay in this position forever. He let go of her as the ringing sounds of the bell interrupted the silent atmosphere. “I-I will met you outside,” he muttered shyly, thinking of how long they had stayed. “After I receive some dry clothes.”

Sakura nodded, rushing to the dressing rooms, her hair was almost dry and she decided to wear a beanie. It was strange that no one had noticed that the two had been gone for so long. The teacher waited in the halls, waiting to lock the doors as Sakura exited from it. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. The man knew that girls took their time in the showers, with the make-up and so on, but he did not expect her to take so long. “Oh, Miss Honda, I was told that someone was still in the rooms.”

She nodded silently, but did not utter a word about the incidents of Arthur’s almost drowning. The teacher would feel ashamed of himself, due to the fact that he had the responsibility of the pupils. It would be a secret between her and the Brit.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Oh this is so tragic :’D Writing dramatic scenes is exhausting :’D but they needed a little hardship to deepen their relationship. I wanted to show a scene where Sakura is worried about Iggy and saves him. Fem Japan is strong, martial arts pro and not “weak”, she cares for his wellbeing :). And the whole scene in the swimming pool reminded me of my childhood, when I let my Sims swim in pool without adding the leader xD, I bet I am not the only one who had done this ~]


	9. 9.

Weeks had passed after the incidents in the physical education. Since then, Arthur and Sakura had grown closer; they shared a secret and promised each other to tell no one.

Days before Christmas, Emily had planned to organise a Christmas party at their home (matching the atmosphere of December). At first, Arthur opposed the idea; he was not the type to party around with hip hop music coming out of the blasters. He loved the relaxing evenings in pubs with friends while watching Premier League or any other football game. But after hearing that Sakura was invited too, he voluntary accepted the party. In addition to that, Emily's friends – including Francis – would attend too, leaving no room for Arthur to argue any further. "The party will take place this weekend," Emily exclaimed happily, pointing to her brother. "Iggy will buy the drinks." He nodded, pleased that Francis was not chosen to do it. He would only buy French wine and champagne, which the Brit did not like at all. He suggested to buy everything hours before the party would start.

"What kind of Bulmers should we buy?" Sakura asked standing in front of the shelf filled with alcoholic drinks. Arthur stood beside her, still thinking of why Emily had insisted on the idea of Sakura accompanying him. He did not mind but he could not shake the thought off that his sisters had planned something. Minutes before he wanted to drive to the _little Britain,_ Emily told him to pick Sakura up, who would join him. With a raised eyebrow he had questioned her but remained silent. He would spend the rest of the day with Sakura and would certainly not complain. It was still a mystery to him how she had agreed to join him. It must have been Emily's talent of persuasion – by trying to convince someone to the point where they would give in – that made Sakura join him.

"All of them, two bottles of each," He decided. Sakura turned her head back to the alcohol bottles. To her dismay the needed drinks were on the highest shelf which she could not reach. The girl stood up on her tiptoes, stretching her body to grab the bottles. Even though she tried her best, she still could not reach it. Arthur, noticing her struggle, placed himself behind her, taking the drinks. "T-Thank you," she said quietly, turning around. When her eyes met his, she could not prevent her face from blushing. The Brit was extremely close, and the way he looked at her made her heart beat faster. It was a dreamy and flustered expression that adorned his face.

"Is everything alright?" the shopkeeper asked, shaking the pair out of their dreamy state. "Y-Yes, everything is alright, thank you," Arthur muttered, feeling a little embarrassed to be caught in such a state; although he was also a little angry by the man who had interrupted this moment. Said man walked back, leaving the punk and Sakura alone. Both avoided eye contact while continuing their shopping trip. Sakura could still feel her heart beating faster. Weeks ago, she knew that she had developed feelings for him, but now she was certain that she did love him. They had a lot in common, shared several interests and he had been gentle to her. His smiles and eyes always caught her off guard, transforming her into a blushing mess. Unbeknownst to her, the Brit had been in the same state like her since he had met her. While she looked for snacks for the party, he searched for soft drinks on the other side of the shelf where Sakura was. He occasionally glimpsed at the girl without her noticing his eyeing.

After they had found all the needed items, they went to the check stand. "Oh, I forgot something," Arthur reminded himself, leaving Sakura alone. The cashier saw her, packing the groceries and drinks on the check stand. "Hello, beautiful."

Since she had moved into this country, everyone seemed to be fascinated by her. It was an odd feeling to be the attention of so many people. "E-er, hello," she replied a little shyly. The man smiled at her, before scanning the objects. "What is such a pretty girl like you doing here all alone? Do you need any help with carrying those bags?" He asked, his smile almost reaching his eyes.

"N-No, thank you."

Sakura felt a little uncomfortable. She only wanted one person to give her attention. And that was a certain British punk who made her smile and helped her with whatever, when she was in the need of it. "Are you certain?" the cashier once again inquired. Before the Japanese could utter any phrase, a familiar figure appeared behind her. "Yes, she is," Arthur muttered darkly. He steadied his two arms on the border of the check stand. In between them was Sakura, caged by his arms while her back was pushed into his chest. "She does not need any help, mister. Not when I am around." Needless to mention, Sakura face was just as red as that of the cashier. Whereas she was red due to Arthur's proximity, the cashier was frightened by the dark look the Punk's face hold. Without any other mentions, the items were bought within a few moments and Arthur drove Sakura back to his home. She insisted on helping with the preparations.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little Britain is a little (it's small but so cute) shop in the neighbouring town of where the European school is. Last time I was in the shop, they had placed a life size stand up of Benedict Cumberbatch in the entrance. Very British :'D ~ and the cashier is not based on any person working there, it is only a man who only appears with the purpose of triggering Arthur's jealousy (as always ~). This chapter is really small, I know :'D, but good news: I finished the story, there are only 3 more chapters left to post, and I will post them this weekend :3


	10. 10.

Sakura made some snacks in the kitchen, Emily and Marguerite had no time to cook and Arthur could not be trusted with food and kitchen devices. The only thing he could do – without burning down the kitchen – was boiling water for tea.

The Japanese opened to the door when she heard a knock; the first guests had arrived.

“Bonjour,” Francis greeted her with a smile, “Here is a bottle of wine _._ I know that Arthur did not buy anything that would suit my taste, so I brought these along.”

Sakura smiled, taking the wine out of his hands. “Come in,” she said, motioning him to enter the house. She had grown accustomed to the Kirkland’s house, but she had never met their parents though. Emily had told her that they were working a lot and Arthur had taken care of her and her sister ever since. The Brit, after hearing the knock, sprinted downstairs to see Sakura and Francis. “Oh, _bonsoir_ Arthur, it seems that I am the first to arrive.”

Only seconds after his announcement, the house was filled with people. Felicia and Ludwig were among them and several others who had not yet met Sakura. There was one pair Sakura recognised as Ludwig’s older brother Gilbert and his girlfriend Elizabeta. Both approached the Japanese with giant smiles. The three got along very well and Sakura admired the pair, especially their odd show of affection for each other. Whenever Gilbert made an inappropriate joke, Elizabeta would hit him in the ribs. But secretly, she would still form a little grin due to his nature. Sakura smiled and before they could continue their conversation, the classical song Wonderwall blasted through the speakers. “Please excuse us,” Elizabeta commented while taking her boyfriend by the hand, pulling him on the dancefloor. Sakura watched the two with a grin on her face. She was happy for them but she wished for someone who would ask her to dance. Her eyes searched for Arthur right afterwards. He was engaged in a loud conversation with Francis, but he caught her gaze directly.

Ten minutes ago, he had been pulled by side by the Frenchman who had annoyed permanently. The topic was once again the Japanese of the other side of the room. “You should ask her out or at least dance with her,” he had said and the Brit wondered why Francis was concerned about his love life. They had taken the discussion further until Arthur noticed Sakura’s staring. “Go,” Francis said, “Or I will take matters in my own hand.”

“What?”

“Come on, we all know that you have feelings for her.”

“Why are you annoying me? Just go away, frog. I don’t feel like dancing,” Arthur hissed, he denied it in front of everyone, especially when the Frenchman was in his presence. The Englishman did not want to be rejected or made fun of his feelings. That is why he stayed quiet when Sakura was mentioned in relation with him. He was not sure if she felt the same; some moments they shared indicated a liking on her side but he did not want to admit it yet. He would wait. He had to.

“Fine,” Francis huffed before a smirk appeared on his face. He took his phone and wrote a short message to Antonio. The Spaniard answered right away and the Frenchman grinned at Arthur. “Watch me, Brit.”

At first Arthur did not comprehend the indication until he saw Antonio walking to Sakura from afar. “You… Frog face,” he grumbled, a deadly aura surrounding his form. He had a bad feeling that everyone around him wanted to push his buttons to the point where he had to admit that he loved her. All of them wanted him to scream it out to the world and it angered him a lot. He did not like to show his feelings. Speaking about love was a sensitive topic for him.

 

Sakura was a little worried as she noticed the Arthur’s dark aura. He was furious, and she could not think of any reasons why. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw somebody standing next to her. It was Antonio, the Spaniard in her class. He was extremely gentle and she always wondered if his smile competed with the sun; this boy surely had a strong presence. “Sakura, would you like to dance with me?”

She was a little overwhelmed by the question. The girl wanted to, but she would only accept such a request from the one that had conquered her heart. Currently that man was glaring at the Spaniard, not liking the idea of her and the Salsa dancer sharing a dance.

“I-I would l-love to, but –“

The Englishman had sprinted to the scenery, taking Sakura by the hand, before he glared at the Spaniard. “Oasis and Salsa don’t match,” Arthur stated matter-of-factly, wanting to explain his (impulsive) actions with such a statement. His point of view made it clear that those two different musical approaches did not function together. Antonio only smiled, “very well.” He left, looking for Francis to tell him about his accomplished ‘mission’.

Arthur focused his attention towards the flushing Japanese and gulped. Sweat drops were on his forehead and his hands started to shake a little. “S-Sakura? May I have this dance?”

She nodded, a big smile forming on her face. At that moment, Sixpence None The Richer’s Kiss me was accompanying dancing people and changed the party’s atmosphere. The pair’s bodies swayed synchronically as they danced to the beat. Gilbert, Elizaveta, Felicia and Ludwig joined them and Emily and Marguerite clapped their hands. “How long until they will confess their love?” Emily asked her sister.

“Mh, maybe one week?”

“That means on New Year’s Eve? Let’s organise a party and make a bet Sis,” Emily suggested happily. “Twenty euros if he will confess before she does.”

“Deal,” Marguerite grinned, accepting her sister’s bet.

 

Aside from this new deal, Arthur and Sakura enjoyed the beautiful moment. They forgot everything around them as they danced; caught in each other’s gaze until evening ended.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I love Wonderwall and Kiss me. If you never heard it before, you really need to check it out :D. ]


	11. 11.

Four days had passed since the party and Sakura visited the Kirkland household again. It was nine o’clock in the morning as she stood in front of their door as she reflected on the past events. The latest one was the most significant one. It had been the most beautiful moment for her as she danced with Arthur. Their gaze had not been broken for the rest of the evening and she swore that he must have felt her beating heart. For her, this magical experience was something she will hold close to her heart.

“Oi, Sakura.”

The girl shrieked. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she forgot where she was. Emily watched her with a concerned look. “Everything alright?”

“Y-Yes, I was only thinking about something.”

She was still a little astonished of why Emily wanted her to teach her how to make sushi. The American often paid her compliments for cooking skills, praising that Sakura’s food – also bakery – was one of the best she had ever tasted.

After she entered the house, Emily showed her the supplies she had bought for making the food. Both of them started to work; having known each other for almost four months, the two had a good time together. Whereas Emily was of a more open character, Sakura was quieter, but the girls had fun making food. After one hour, Emily decided to make a little break. It was the first day, she had not the intention to annoy her brother about Sakura or put them in a situation to bring them together; today was really an exception. The American was fond of her Japanese friend and loved spending time with her.

 

For Arthur, the morning was still too early. Some ruckus downstairs had woken him up, leaving him in a grumpy state. “It’s far too early,” he muttered. He heard his sister giggling and sighed, “Good Lord, Emily, what the bloody hell are you doing?”

Reluctantly he removed the blanket and stood up, leaving his warm bed, his hair messier than usual. “I am going to kill her.” Without thinking too much, he rushed downstairs; only wearing pyjama bottoms. Despite the possibility that she had a guest – which he excluded – he entered the kitchen. “In the name of God, what are you doing? It’s far too early to –“

He stopped abruptly upon seeing Sakura standing in an apron next to the cupboard. The colour of his face changed immediately, just like his expression. From tired and grumpy to shocked and embarrassed. Emily was cleaning the kitchen table. “Oh, hey brother.”

Sakura stared at the boy with widened eyes. His messy hair, his tattooed chest, his blinking green eyes and his expression were a delighting sight for her; some would say that he was hot, but for her who thought that the word _hot_ was a little sexist, the boy was absolutely adorable. He did not know that she would be there. Surprisingly, Emily did not shout at him for his lack of clothes but only smiled devilishly.

“S-Sakura?” He stuttered. “W-What are you doing here?”

While he managed to form words of speaking, he positioned himself behind the door frame to hide himself a little from her sight.

“E-Emily asked me to come by,” she answered quietly, her face as red as Arthur’s. “O-Okay,” he said before he dashed back to his room, closing the door and sliding down against it on his knees. “Oh Lord.”

 

Emily snickered, making Sakura feel herself uncomfortable again.

“Don’t worry he does not like anyone to see him in that state.”

“B-But why he be embarrassed?” the Japanese asked, but Emily only smiled. “H-he looked cute.” And there it was; the sentence she wanted to avoid uttering out loud.

“He does not like surprises, and we did surprise him,” Emily chittered, continuing her task of cleaning the table; ignoring Sakura’s compliment for her brother.

 

After twenty minutes, Arthur descended the stairs; having gained enough confidence after the incident. His heart was still in a fast state, but he wanted to spent time with Sakura. As he entered the kitchen, the smell of food was filling the room. Whereas Sakura was setting dishes on the table, Emily was on her way to look for something to drink (the fridge needed to be refilled with new bottles). On her way out, she winked at her brother, a knowing smirk gracing her face. Arthur blushed but was a little annoyed by her allusion.

“H-Hey, lunch is ready.”

He heard her lovely voice and focussed on her face, which was adorned with a blush. This was something he was observing for weeks; she was more flustered lately and he always hoped that it was him that made her feel that way. “Thank you for cooking and I am really sorry Emily asked you to teach her.” He smiled; her sister really was one of a kind.

Sakura chuckled lightly, “You’re welcome, and I am always glad if I can teach somebody. It makes me feel needed and I love to help.”

The Englishman nodded, both sat on the table as Emily returned. She asked her Japanese friend how and when she was planning to go home. “My mother will pick me up in an hour or so,” the black-haired replied before wishing everybody an enjoying meal. After eating, they were making the dishes, and Sakura packed her stuff due to her mother’s soon arrival. “Oh before I forget,” Emily reminded Sakura, “New Year’s Eve party. Arthur will pick you up at seven.”

While the Japanese agreed happily, the Brit shot her sister a questioning look. He had not been informed of his sister’s plans – as always – but decided to remain still. As Sakura received a message form her mother, she quickly said goodbye, exiting through the door while Emily and Arthur were in the kitchen. Unfortunately the girl had forgotten to take her purse with her, which lay on a board in the hall near the front door.

 

“You really like her.”

Arthur stopped cleaning the fork in his hand and turned his head to look at her sister. “And please don’t say ‘who do you mean’,” Emily warned him.

Arthur sighed heavily, “Y-Yes, Sakura is a great friend.” Her sister challenged him with a tired look; her facial expression supported by a groan. “You know what I mean. I am not talking about the feeling of a friend, but the emotion of love.”

The punk tried to ignore her but failed greatly; his cheeks were tinted with red. “The emotion which forces you to care for her, to be worried about her and the need to be near her all the time,” Emily added softly, touching his shoulder. She knew it was a sensitive topic for him, but she wanted him to admit it openly to her; the girl was his sister after all. “You don’t need to hide it, it is obvious and I want you to know that I support you. It is okay to talk about it.”

He hung his head and smiled softly, tired of hiding his feelings. “Thank you.”

Arthur then coughed lightly in his now empty hand. “I never thought somebody would trigger such emotions in me. Of course, you and Marguerite are always my children of sorrow.”

At the mention of that, Emily rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. She knew he was exaggerating, but that was why big brothers were for, were they not? The Englishman ignored her – on purpose of course – and continued. “At first I thought I was infatuated, but as time passed by and I befriended her, I knew it was more than that. She makes me flustered every time she looks at me with those honest brown eyes. Whereas some are afraid of me or want to avoid me, she is approaching me. Darn it, Emily she made me sushi as a gift to apologise. In addition to that, she knows when my temper gets the best out of me and tries to calm me down,” he breathed. The boy did not expect to have his feelings exclaimed in detail, but he would not stop now. “She taught me how to draw, helped me when I was in danger. Her calm demeanour helps me to be calm too; to control myself. We have a lot in common, but she is still so different for me and that is what I need. The only one who is capable of enduring my character is her. The only one that makes me rethink my actions and behaviour is her. I need her in my life… because,” he stopped to breathe deeply for the next words. “I love her.”

Emily had never before heard such words from her brother and she almost squealed. Her brother was indeed quite romantic. “I never thought it has hit you so hard,” she smiled but could not prevent herself from making the next remark. “You sound like a punkish version of Mr Darcy.”

The bewildered look in his eyes made her laugh again. “I always knew you were the jealous type of boy, with all your attempts of insulting Francis and Antonio after they approached Sakura.” Her smirk widened. “And not to forgot the poor cashier in the shop.”

By now Arthur was groaning, why and how did she know about that stupid man in the shop. “Yes, I am jealous but not because I see her as a possession, which she is not. If the person I care the most for, is concerned, than I cannot help myself but react. I want to protect her, from heartbreak, danger, all harm.”

He once again focussed on his sister who was jumping up and down. “Awesome, I am so going to be the bridesmaid.”

“H-hey, Emily. W-wait.”

“I am just saying bro. Sakura Kirkland does sound nice,” Emily smiled devilishly, dancing in a dreamy state, “You need to confess to her on New Year’s Eve.”

This suggestion sounded like an order and the girl was utterly content with Arthur’s confession.

 

“Are you all right?”

Her mother had asked her twice and Sakura tried with every attempt not to focus on what she had witnessed ten minutes ago. The moment she had almost closed the door of the Kirkland house, she noticed that she had forgotten her bag. Sakura quickly had re-entered house. She did not want to burden the owners of the house and decided to quietly grab her bag and leave again. It was only at the mention of her name that she shortly stilled. His words, so clear and honest, touched her heart. She had hoped that he would consider her as more as a friend. In the end she was sure that he would not see her as more as just a friend, but hearing his loving words made her heart race with excitement. He had felt the same for her all this time. Even though she knew it was impolite to eardrop, she could not prevent herself. Her motionless body was leaned against the door frame, but not due to a tragic enlightenment, but because of his way of talking about her. He appreciated her, cared and loved her. It was all she needed to be happy for the rest of the day. After he had finished, she rushed to her mother’s care, not answering her question why she was flustered.

“Y-Yes,” she somehow managed to answer her parent, who did not press on the topic any further. Sakura looked out of the window, her blushing face accompanied with a bright smile. She knew what she would do on New Year’s Eve. She would reciprocate his feelings with her confession. Hearing Arthur’s had lightened a spark of confidence in her.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Muhahah >:D She knows about his feelings now ~. I will post the last chapter tomorrow :D]


	12. 12.

“I hope this is okay,” Sakura muttered to herself, watching the mirror. She spun around, looking her form in the dress from every angle. It was a dark red dress adorned with laces. It underlined her elegant posture. The Japanese’s hair was tied in a bun, a small flower clipped in it, matching her red lips. Claiming that she was nervous for the upcoming evening was an understatement.  
The clock almost struck seven as Arthur waited in his car in front of her house. He almost stopped breathing when he saw her exiting the house. His gaze did not cease form her as she got into his car.

“W-wow, y-you look,” he whispered, clearing his throat. “Y-you look s-stunning.” Sakura’s face brightened. Her small grin turned into a big smile, while her face’s colour matched Arthur’s. “T-Thank you.”

The Brit tried with every fibre of his body to not glimpse at her too often while driving. He had thought her adorable and cute, but today she looked absolutely breath-taking. “A-Are you excited?”

“W-What?” she was startled by his question. But of course she was excited and nervous; he would confess to her tonight and the girl would reciprocate his feelings.

Arthur detected her strange expression – although he did not quite understand why – and clarified his inquiry once again. “I-I mean for tonight’s party and event.”

The blonde was a little confused of why she would wear such a startled look on her face. It did not help him at all, considering that he would openly admit his feelings to her tonight. They arrived at the Kirkland household, loud music shaking the building while familiar people were streaming into the house. Sakura’s friends detected her as she and Arthur entered the house. Felicia rushed to the Japanese, hugging her tightly. “You’re absolutely gorgeous.”

“T-Thank you. You look beautiful too.”

Both chatted while Ludwig looked around; probably looking for the bar to get a beer. Arthur felt a little out of place and left the two girls to chat alone. He would need a drink to calm his nerves, especially for the later part of the night. Walking to the kitchen, he grabbed a beer trying to avoid anyone’s questions and weird glimpses. Nevertheless, Arthur could not stop himself from observing Sakura through the open kitchen door. For him, she was the most stunning person in the house and every time she smiled, the room would lighten up. He could picture himself next to her, holding hands together, but dismissed the thought quickly. If she would feel the same way as he did, he would be the happiest man in the world.

 

“You need to tell her,” Francis whispered in his ear, too close for Arthur’s comfort. “What do you want?” The Brit hissed once again, getting annoyed every time the Frenchman was indicating something about his love for Sakura.

“It is obvious that you love her. Go on,” Francis pressed, “I have a bet to win.”

The last sentence got him a nudge in the rips. “You made a bloody bet?”

Francis laughed heart fully, “You don’t think I am the only one, don’t you?”

Arthur’s fingers pinched his bridge of the nose. “Are you bloody jesting? Please do not tell me that you made a wager with our classmates?”

“Well, Emily started it,” Francis slapped his shoulder, “but honestly, I think the two of you would be cute. You two are made for each other.”

Silence filled the room before Francis continued mischievously, “And she does look really nice today.”

That was all it took for the punk get angry and to disappear out of the room. He found her quickly and stayed with her, talking and making jokes. He did not leave her side for the rest of the evening; glancing darkly at every present male who dared to look at her with a wink or smirk

.

Time was passing by and it was thirty past eleven. Only thirty minutes left until the New Year would begin. By now the Brit was clenching his fists; sweat drops were rolling down his forehead, his shoulders tense to the point where no massage in the world could relax them. It was time to tell her.

He waited for everyone to get on the terrace and in the gardens to shot the fireworks in the sky. At that moment, the music would be turned off and they would be alone. When Emily exclaimed loudly to get outside for the upcoming festivities, Arthur softly grabbed Sakura’s hand. Fixating the floor, he told her to come with him upstairs to the balcony. He was relieved as she nodded and followed him. Although Sakura knew what was going to happen, her fingers shook just like his.

“H-Here is a blanket, because it is still a little fresh outside,” he told her with a caring tone, taking the fabric out of a dresser before they walked to the balcony. The blanket was put on her by him; his tinted cheeks and averted gaze made her smile which he noticed seconds afterwards. “Y-You are smiling.”

She nodded still a little shaky. “y-you are always so caring when it comes to my well-being.”

“I can’t help myself,” he confessed, mimicking her smile; his blush still present. “I only want the best for you.” The atmosphere had shifted from casual to seriousness as he gazed into her eyes. ‘Now or never,’ he told himself, trying to calm his nerves a little.

“S-Sakura, I need to tell you s-something.”

He let go of the blanket around her shoulders and rubbed his neck with one of his free hands. Despite the darkness outside, the colour on his face was visible. “I-I – er – I.”

He hesitated, his words failing him; apparently the beer had not stabilised his nervous state, if anything, the drink has worsened it. Neither di Sakura’s big lovely eyes help. He wanted to scream it out to the world, tell her why he was not only smitten by her but genuinely in love with her; just like he did days ago when he spoke to Emily. But the words did not want to come out. “I…,” he began before steading himself with one hand on the banister. “Darn it, w-why is this so hard.” Arthur turned his head to see Sakura struggling with herself. “D-Don’t be so harsh on yourself,” she encouraged him but the poor boy could not open his mouth again.

“This is ridiculous,” he murmured, not expecting her to hear it. Sakura cringed a little, but told herself that he had problems expressing himself properly. “It is not,” she whispered, “it’s not ridiculous.”

Upon hearing her soft voice, his turned back around, giving her his full attention. Sakura decided to speak for him. All the past months he had spoken for her when somebody was bothering her, now it was her turn to form the words for the man she had fallen in love with. “I-I know it is hard to express how you feel and to show your true feelings,” she eyed him attentive, “You have spoken for me for months now, but now it’s time for me to do the same for you.” The Japanese thought about her own words and decided to structure her confession in the same order he did. At first she would list all the things about him that made her love him, before saying the three most important words.

Confusion was everything Arthur’s face showed; he was not aware of her intentions.

“I-I was never aware of your kindness, protective manner or warmness. After I got to get to know you, I discovered all these traits which I hold close to my heart. You have a unique soul, Arthur,” she closed her eyes shortly and breathes through her mouth, calming her racing heart. “Some may disapprove your quirks, but I really love them. They make me laugh and somehow calm me down. Others would say that your impulsive temper is exhausting and making them feel uncomfortable. I don’t know why but I love how it makes me smile every time. I always have the need to calm you down afterwards; it is a part of you. A-and that smile of yours, makes me forget everything evil in the world.”

Arthur stood frozen in his place; his mind was as racing just like his heart. ‘Could it be, that she loves me too,’ he mused, hoping with every pray to let it be true. Sakura continued, looking straight into his eyes, “A-and your eyes, such green eyes. They reflect your soul and whenever I gaze into them, I forget everything around me. It’s only you and me in a timeless room.”

Beside the speaking sounds of people in the garden, Sakura swore that he could hear her heart throbbing in her own chest. “Y-You complete me; my soul. You’ve been a hero for me for the past months and I want to be the same for you. I don’t care if you cannot cook or swim, I can do that for you, teach you, and share it with you,” she gulped, staring right in his soul. “Because I love you.”

Arthur forgot everything around him as she uttered those three words. Without thinking, he strode forward, cupped her face and leaned down. His lips brushed hers; his arms encircling her body, pulling her to him. It was a sweet kiss and he pulled back quickly, his face brightened by a grand smile. “I love you too… I wanted to tell you this, but I never thought I would be this happy,” he leaned his forehead against hers, “you make me so happy.”

Sakura’s expression matched his. “I-I overheard you, days ago. W-when you confessed to Emily, I-I was kind of in the hall, i-it was not on –“

He held her tighter, spinning her around in a lovely embrace. “So, you knew how I feel,” his eyes fix on hers while his hand was stroking her cheek. “I was so afraid of facing rejection, but I know better now.” He could not help but smile until his mouth would hurt. Only seconds afterwards, the first firework lightened the sky. “Happy new year, my dear,” he whispered, kissing her lightly. She smiled against his lips.

 

Emily and Marguerite grinned from behind the balcony doors. “Finally, they are a couple now,” the former one exclaimed happily. Marguerite smiled devilishly, “Sakura confessed first, so where are my twenty euros?”

Emily smirked, her sister surely was mischievous, stretching her hand to her sister, she handed her the money. “Francis and Felicia owe you too,” the American chided, before pulling her sister downstairs. They did not want to interrupt the new couple, who observed the fireworks in each other’s arms.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Yey :D here is is :D I just really adore that ship :D and I decided to make an Epilogue :D (it's already written but I will post it tomorrow :D)]


	13. Epilogue

“Green or Red?”

Arthur smiled as his small daughter asked him which colour he preferred to grace his arms. Big innocent green eyes stared at him as her little hands held a green and red marker. Why he let her draw his arms? It was very simple, since the small bundle had learned to perceive and analyse her surroundings, she had been quite fascinated by her father’s tattoos. She always wanted to colour the empty lines – which had not been tattooed yet – and liked the idea of her father being a living mandala book. She always wanted her dad to have a little drawing of hers on his arm before he would go the work; so he would think of her every time he would look upon it. After she was born, he had gotten a tattoo: the date of her birthday. And after she had discovered her love for her father’s body illustrations, he asked the tattooist to make him a lined flower next to the date. The little one could then colour it whenever she loved to. The four year old was the spitting image of her mother, the short black hair, the sweet nature. Only the green eye colour had been inherited from her father.

Her birth was a highlight for the Englishman and his wife; both loved their child dearly, their faces graced with big smiles and proudness whenever they observed her. “What colour do you like, honey?” He asked lovingly, patting his child’s head. She thought about it, a crease forming on her forehead before she lightens up again. “Green!” She exclaimed excitingly, “Just like Papa’s eyes.”

“And just like yours, Arisu,” he spoke, the proud grin present on his face.

 

Sakura’s face lit up as she leaned against the door frame of the living room. Her eyes caught the sight of her daughter drawing with her father (well rather painting on her father). She was glad that Arisu was as not as shy as her when she was little; her daughter was more open and Sakura always thought that she must have picked it up from her Aunt Emily. She spoilt the little child with everything she had, just like an aunt should. Right after she and Arthur started dating, the American had always dreamed of becoming an awesome aunt. After finishing High school and University, Arthur had asked Sakura to marry her. The proposing had taken place on their holiday in London. It was a warm evening as Arthur kneeled in front of her; the London eye in the background. It had been a beautiful moment and of course the Japanese had accepted. After telling Emily about it, she had been excited about everything. The American had planned the engagement party, the wedding and the baby shower. After receiving the joyful message that the Japanese was with a child, Arthur almost cried from happiness. He loved children, and having one of his own was an overjoying experience for him (especially having it with the one you love).

Sakura quickly returned to the kitchen as the water started to boil. It was only minutes later that a knock sounded on the door which Sakura opened right afterwards.

“Where is my most favourite girl on the planet?”

Arisu’s ears perked up at the voice of her aunt and the small child rushed towards the door, hugging her aunt with a strong grip. “Auntie Emily!”

“That’s me, cutiepie,” the American kissed her forehead, while her hand was hiding something behind her back. “Are you prepared for something awesome?”

The little one smiled and dragged her aunt to the living room, excited to see what present she would receive. Sakura shook her head with a smile gracing her face, before she greeted another face that waited by the door. “Hello Francis,” she said, motioning him to come in. “Bonjour.”

After inviting Francis inside, Sakura called Arthur, who in response grumbled.

“Hello, Frog,” Arthur said as he approached the Frenchman, who in return grinned liked crazy.

 

When Arthur had learned of his sister’s and Francis engagement, he had a ‘little’ outburst. “What??? No not that frog,” he had exclaimed with furrowed eyebrows, “For Pete’s sake, not him.” He even accepted the tall Dutchman Tim who had started dating his younger sister Marguerite. But having Francis in the family was too much for the Englishman. The Frenchman was famous for charming the ladies but for several years he and Emily were happily married. He loved her just like she loved him. To Arthur’s dismay, the Frenchman still liked to provoke the Brit. When he and Emily officially got married, he had sent him postcards with the greetings of “ _Bonjour mon frère_ ” or “Family, for ever and always”.

Every Christmas gift – which was accompanied with a card – Arthur got from Francis was addressed with them being an inseparable family.

“We are family now, always and forever, dear brother.”

Arthur was always trying to compose himself, but Sakura always heard his internal screams. As Arisu turned four years old, Francis told her that she was indeed a beautiful flower just like her mother. And when she would grow up, the boys would fawn over her. Of course Arthur thought that his daughter was the most beautiful girl in the world, but – being a father – did not like that indication. “Stop filling her head with such ideas. No boy will be allowed to even look at her as long as I am here,” The Englishman had whispered in Francis’ ear.

“As protective as always I see,” the Frenchman grinned, winking at him. “Right, brother in law?”

How he hated that expression coming out of the French’s mouth. As always, Arthur gritted his teeth, glaring at him before averting his attentions elsewhere. For the present in the room, this was always a funny occurrence; the audience watching them both as if they would have a staging moment.

The most awkward moment that had happened for the Brit, was the time when Arisu asked Uncle Francis how her papa and mama had met. “Well, I was talking to your mother, when he saw her, and right from the start he – “

“I intervened to talk to her,” Arthur had interrupted with a flustered face. His daughter did not need to know how exactly they had met. Not when she was so young.

But by now, Arthur had grown a little accustomed to the idea of accepting him in the family.

* * *

 

**Translation:**

Bonjour mon frère – hello my brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I decided to name their child Arisu :D Japanese version of Alice :3. And the thought of Francis being officially family with Arthur was so funny, so I wrote it :P. I hope the Epilogue is okay (I’ve never written one xD) and I hope the story was to your liking :D I really love this pairing. Thank you for all the kudos and comments :DDDD It makes me really happy :3]


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